Method and Apparatus for Collateral Use of Bottle Packaging

ABSTRACT

In a box system for storing bottles therein that includes a box, at least one longitudinal divider sheet and at least one latitudinal divider sheet. The divider sheets are divided into a plurality of coaster units. Each coaster unit is printed with collateral branding indicia. The coaster units are separated by visually perceptible separation lines, which may be perforated to facilitate separation of the coaster units so that when the coaster units are separated they are usable as drink coasters. The box may also be printed with coaster units.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/776,136, filed Dec. 6, 2018, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bottle packaging and, more specifically, to bottle packaging that is convertible into coasters.

2. Description of the Related Art

Most beverage bottles are transported in cardboard boxes that include cardboard or paperboard dividers placed in the boxes. The dividers define square prismatic volumes into which bottles are placed and provide impact absorption between the bottles during handling. Generally, the boxes and dividers are disposable.

Disposable drink coasters, such as beer mats, have been used at bars and pubs to absorb condensation from glasses containing cold drinks since they were first made in 1880. Such drink coasters protect tables impact and water damage. Most of the commonly used drink coasters are discarded after a single use. Many such coasters include advertising (usually for brands of beer or other beverages) printed thereon. Also, they are usually provided free to bar and pub owners by the brand suppliers because of the advertising printed on them. Some people even collect such drink coasters as souvenirs of their travels.

At typical high volume restaurant, bar or catering service can discard hundreds of boxes and dividers per week. While the boxes and dividers are usually recyclable, many hospitality establishment owners do not exert the extra effort necessary to recycle them. Given the substantial numbers of restaurants, bars, catering services and the like that purchase boxes of bottled drinks, the discarding of boxes and dividers can add substantial pressure on landfills.

Therefore, there is a need for a box system that facilitates reuse of components of boxes used to transport bottled beverages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which, in one aspect, is a box system for storing bottles therein that includes a box, at least one longitudinal divider sheet and at least one latitudinal divider sheet. The at least one longitudinal divider sheet is disposed within the box and is divided into a plurality of coaster units. Each coaster unit is adjacent to at least two other coaster units and is separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster. The at least one longitudinal divider sheet has a top edge, a height and defines at least one elongated vertical opening extending downwardly from the top edge to at least half the height of the longitudinal divider sheet. The at least one latitudinal divider sheet is disposed within the box and is divided into a plurality of coaster units. Each coaster unit is adjacent to at least two other coaster units and is separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster. The at least one latitudinal divider sheet has a bottom edge, a height and defines at least one elongated vertical opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge to at least half the height of the latitudinal divider sheet. The elongated vertical opening defined by the at least one latitudinal divider sheet is slid about the at least one corresponding longitudinal divider sheet and the elongated vertical opening defined by the at least one longitudinal divider sheet is slid about the at least one corresponding latitudinal divider sheet so that the at least one longitudinal divider sheet and the at least one latitudinal divider sheet are interleaved so as to define an array of prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein.

In another aspect, the invention is a bottle storage box system that includes a box, a plurality of longitudinal divider sheets and a plurality of latitudinal divider sheets. The box includes a bottom, a top and at least four vertical walls. At least one of the vertical walls is divided into a plurality of coaster units. Each coaster unit is adjacent to at least two other coaster units and is separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster. The plurality of longitudinal divider sheets is disposed within the box and each longitudinal divider sheet is divided into a plurality of coaster units. Each coaster unit is adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster. Each longitudinal divider sheet has a top edge, a height and defines at least one elongated vertical opening extending downwardly from the top edge to at least half the height of the longitudinal divider sheet. The plurality of latitudinal divider sheets is disposed within the box and each latitudinal divider sheet is divided into a plurality of coaster units. Each coaster unit is adjacent to at least two other coaster units and is separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster. Each latitudinal divider sheet has a bottom edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge to at least half the height of the latitudinal divider sheet. The elongated vertical openings defined by each latitudinal divider sheet are slid about corresponding longitudinal divider sheets and the elongated vertical openings defined by each longitudinal divider sheet are slid about corresponding latitudinal divider sheets so that the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets are interleaved so as to define an array of prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein.

In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of making reusable box components in which a plurality of coaster unit indicia is printed on box divider sheets. Visually perceptible separation lines are placed on each box divider sheet to facilitate separation of portions of the divider sheets into coaster units. Vertical openings are cut in the divider sheets to facilitate interleaving of divider sheets such that the divider sheets define prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein when the divider sheets are interleaved. The divider sheets are placed in a box in an interleaved arrangement.

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings. As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, many variations and modifications of the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view one representative embodiment of a box for transporting bottles that is convertible into drink coasters.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a plurality of drink coasters after having been separated from a divider.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a drink coaster made by separation from a divider.

FIG. 4A is a plan view of one representative embodiment of a longitudinal divider that is convertible into drink coasters.

FIG. 4B is a plan view of one representative embodiment of a latitudinal divider that is convertible into drink coasters.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart demonstrating one method of making reusable box components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. Unless otherwise specifically indicated in the disclosure that follows, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.”

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of a box system 100 for storing bottles 10 includes a box 102 into which are placed longitudinal dividers 110 and latitudinal dividers 120 that are interleaved so as to form a plurality of spaces into which bottles 10 are placed. At least some of the vertical walls 108 of the box 110, the longitudinal dividers 110 and the latitudinal dividers 120 are divided into a plurality of coaster units 112. The coaster units 112 are separated by visually perceptible separation lines 114 (such as printed lines, perforations or both). The box 102 can include instructions 106 printed thereon (for example on the top or bottom flaps 104) to notify the user that the box components are reusable as drink coasters and to demonstrate how the user is to recycle the box 102 and the dividers 110 and 120 by separating the coaster units 112 (either by breaking apart perforated units or cutting printed units) so that they may be used as drink coasters 115 upon which beverages 12 may be placed, as shown in FIG. 3.

Returning to FIG. 2, each coaster unit 112 can have printed thereon information such as a brand name 130, a logo 132 and other information 133. The box 102 and the dividers 110 and 120 can be made of such materials as: high grammage paperboard, corrugated cardboard, sheet cardboard, pulpboard, sheet cork, sheet plastic, multi-ply napkin paper and laminated paper. Typically, items requiring greater structural strength, such as the box 102 would be made of stronger materials, such as corrugated cardboard, whereas the dividers 110 and 120 could be made of materials that require less strength, but that adequately absorb impact between the bottles 10. For example, high grammage paperboard, which is the material commonly used for “beer mats” could be more suitable for use as the dividers 110 and 120.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the longitudinal divider sheets 110 and latitudinal divider sheets 120 each define at least one elongated vertical opening 116 that allows the divider sheets 110 to be interleaved with the latitudinal divider sheets 120. Typically, the elongated vertical openings 116 are die cut into sheets of the material from which the divider sheets 110 and 120 are formed. The adding of perforations along the separation lines 114 can also be done during the die cutting process.

In other embodiments the box 102 and the divider sheets 110 and 120 can be printed with subsequent-use collateral materials. For example, one of the divider sheets 110 or 120 could be printed with an advertising sign promoting the brand of beverage shipped in the box 102. Similarly, a divider sheet could be printed with a board game (which can also advertise the brand) that can be used by patrons at a bar. In one embodiment, a divider sheet can be printed with collateral material on one side and coaster units on the other side, so that the proprietor of the retail establishment can decide the secondary use of the dividers.

As shown in FIG. 5, in one method of making reusable box components, coaster unit indicia are printed on box divider sheets 210 and visually perceptible separation lines are placed on each box divider sheet 212 to facilitate separation of portions of the divider sheets into coaster units. Vertical openings are cut in the divider sheets 214 to facilitate interleaving of divider sheets and the divider sheets are placed in a box in an interleaved arrangement 216, thereby defining spaces there-between. Bottles may then be placed in the spaces defined the dividers 218. In use, the dividers are removed from the box and the coaster units are separated and then used as coasters.

Although specific advantages have been enumerated above, various embodiments may include some, none, or all of the enumerated advantages. Other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the following figures and description. It is understood that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. The components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. The operations of the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein may be performed by more, fewer, or other components and the methods described may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order. As used in this document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set. It is intended that the claims and claim elements recited below do not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim. The above described embodiments, while including the preferred embodiment and the best mode of the invention known to the inventor at the time of filing, are given as illustrative examples only. It will be readily appreciated that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above. 

1. A box system for storing bottles therein, comprising: (a) a box; (b) at least one longitudinal bottle divider sheet disposed within the box, the at least one longitudinal divider sheet divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape so that substantially all of each longitudinal divider sheet is separable into substantially equally sized coaster units and so that each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster, the at least one longitudinal divider sheet having a top edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending downwardly from the top edge to at least half the height of the longitudinal divider sheet; and (c) at least one latitudinal bottle divider sheet disposed within the box, the at least one latitudinal divider sheet divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape so that substantially all of each latitudinal divider sheet is separable into substantially equally sized coaster units and so that each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster, the at least one latitudinal divider sheet having a bottom edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge to at least half the height of the latitudinal divider sheet, wherein the elongated vertical opening defined by the at least one latitudinal divider sheet is slid about the at least one corresponding longitudinal divider sheet and the elongated vertical opening defined by the at least one longitudinal divider sheet is slid about the at least one corresponding latitudinal divider sheet so that the at least one longitudinal divider sheet and the at least one latitudinal divider sheet are interleaved so as to define an array of prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein.
 2. The box system of claim 1, wherein the separation lines of both the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets comprise perforations to facilitate separation of the coaster units.
 3. The box system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets comprise high grammage paperboard.
 4. The box system of claim 1, further comprising indicia printed on each coaster unit.
 5. The box system of claim 1, wherein coaster unit images are printed on at least a portion of the box.
 6. The box system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the box includes instructions printed thereon alerting users to the reusability of the divider sheets as coaster units and providing instructions for separating the coaster units.
 7. A bottle storage box system, comprising: (a) a box including a bottom, a top and at least four vertical walls, at least one of the vertical walls divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit is usable as a drink coaster; (b) a plurality of longitudinal bottle divider sheets disposed within the box, each longitudinal divider sheet comprising high grammage paperboard and divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape and is usable as a drink coaster and so that substantially the entire divider sheet is separable into drink coaster units, each longitudinal divider sheet having a top edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending downwardly from the top edge to at least half the height of the longitudinal divider sheet; and (c) a plurality of latitudinal bottle divider sheets disposed within the box, each latitudinal divider sheet comprising high grammage paperboard and divided into a plurality of coaster units, each coaster unit adjacent to at least two other coaster units and separated therefrom by a visually perceptible separation line so that when the coaster units are separated at the separation line each coaster unit has a substantially rectangular shape and is usable as a drink coaster and so that substantially the entire divider sheet is separable into drink coaster units, each latitudinal divider sheet having a bottom edge, a height and defining at least one elongated vertical opening extending upwardly from the bottom edge to at least half the height of the latitudinal divider sheet, wherein the elongated vertical openings defined by each latitudinal divider sheet are slid about corresponding longitudinal divider sheets and the elongated vertical openings defined by each longitudinal divider sheet are slid about corresponding latitudinal divider sheets so that the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets are interleaved so as to define an array of prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein, wherein the separation lines of both the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets comprise perforations to facilitate separation of the coaster units.
 8. (canceled)
 9. (canceled)
 10. The bottle storage box system of claim 7, further comprising indicia printed on each coaster unit.
 11. The bottle storage box system of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the box includes instructions printed thereon alerting users to the reusability of the divider sheets as coaster units and providing instructions for separating the coaster units.
 12. A method of making reusable box components, comprising: (a) printing a plurality of coaster unit indicia on box divider sheets; (b) perforating each box divider sheet along a plurality of straight lines to facilitate separation of portions of the divider sheets into substantially rectangular coaster units so that substantially each entire divider sheet is separable into drink coaster units; (c) cutting vertical openings in the divider sheets to facilitate interleaving of divider sheets such that the divider sheets define prismatic voids configured to receive bottles therein when the divider sheets are interleaved; and (d) placing the divider sheets in a box in an interleaved arrangement.
 13. (canceled)
 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of selecting high grammage paperboard as a material for the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets.
 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of printing coaster unit images on at least a portion of the box.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of printing instructions on at least a portion of the box that alert users to the reusability of the divider sheets as coaster units and providing instructions for separating the coaster units.
 17. The box system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets include a material selected from a list consisting of: corrugated cardboard, sheet cardboard, pulpboard, sheet cork, sheet plastic, multi-ply napkin paper and laminated paper.
 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of selecting a material for the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets from a list of materials consisting of: corrugated cardboard, sheet cardboard, pulpboard, sheet cork, sheet plastic, multi-ply napkin paper and laminated paper.
 19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of selecting a material for the longitudinal divider sheets and the latitudinal divider sheets from a list of materials consisting of: corrugated cardboard, sheet cardboard, pulpboard, sheet cork, sheet plastic, multi-ply napkin paper and laminated paper.
 20. The method of claim 12, wherein the printing step comprises printing advertising indicia on the divider sheets within areas defined by the caster units. 